Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997) was a Chinese politician who became the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China from the late 1970s until the 1990s, without ever holding the formal titles of head of state or head of government. Twice purged from power during the Cultural Revolution and twice rehabilitated, he emerged after Mao Zedong's death as China's de facto leader and launched a program of market-oriented economic reform and opening to foreign trade and investment, described officially as 'socialism with Chinese characteristics,' that transformed China's economy over the following decades. His leadership also included the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protesters centered on Tiananmen Square, in which the military suppressed demonstrations with significant loss of life. He remains a central and contested figure in modern Chinese history, credited with China's subsequent economic rise while also directly responsible for that crackdown.
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.